Structure-function coupling abnormalities in adolescent obsessive-compulsive disorder and their molecular correlates

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often begins in adolescence, a key period for brain development.
• Previous studies show separate changes in functional and structural brain connectivity in adolescent OCD.
• The relationship between structural and functional connectivity (SC-FC coupling) in adolescent OCD is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate structural-functional connectivity (SC-FC) coupling in adolescents with OCD.
• To explore how SC-FC coupling relates to OCD symptom severity.
• To identify potential neurobiological markers of adolescent OCD.

Main Methods:

• Multimodal neuroimaging was used in 50 adolescents with OCD and 53 healthy controls.
• SC-FC coupling was measured across brain regions and networks.
• Statistical analyses, machine learning, and spatial correlation with molecular data were performed.

Main Results:

• Adolescents with OCD had increased SC-FC coupling, especially in the default mode network (DMN).
• DMN coupling correlated with compulsive symptom severity and predicted diagnosis and severity.
• Alterations were linked to dopaminergic/cholinergic systems and genes involved in synaptic and neurodevelopmental processes.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent OCD involves altered SC-FC coupling linked to specific neurochemical and transcriptional profiles.
• SC-FC coupling may serve as a systems-level marker connecting brain organization, molecular factors, and clinical symptoms.